Filtering apparatus



M. H. KURYLA.

FILTERING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED IuIIE 29, 191e,

Patented July 6, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEEI l.

IKW I I 1 I l l I I INVENTOR. kuk/M /7/ /f BY A TTORNE Y M. H. KURYLA.

FILTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICAUON man JUNE 29, 1915.

Patented July 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1N VENTOR. /wz

ATTORNEY' M. H. KURYLA.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented J uly 6, 1920.

MM/ c PATENT oFFice.

Unirse srA.rgrlsmpwm MICHAEL I-I. KURYLA, OF PARK CITY, UTAH, iS-SIGNOR TO THE MERRILL COMPANY, F SAN FEANCISGG, CALIFORNIA, fs. CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA FILTERING APPARATUS.

iin/.isser Application filed June 29, 1916.

To .all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. KUnYLA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident l of Park City, in the county of Summit and State of Utah, have invented lcertain new and. useful .Filtering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. f g

rlhe invention relates to an apparatus for filtering or separating solids and semi-solids trom liquids or Vfluids containing the same.

The filter of my invention is capable of use in processes where it is desirable to separate liquids or l'luids from a mixture containing the same and solid or semi-solid material and is particularly applicable to metallurgical, chemical, sugar manufacturing, and other processes, in which the unilterable material builds up as a cake on the filter-plate.

An object oi the invention is to provide a filter from which the cakes of solid or semisolidimaterial which have accumulated during the filtering operation may readily be discharged.

Prior to my invention, such filter-cakes have been removed by impingement of streams of waiter accordingto the process set iorth in United States Patent No. 798,200, to Charles lV. Merrill. This method, however, requires the use of a large quantity of wash-water, and is, consequently, not available in localities where water is scarce. lt has also been suggested that the cakes be removed by back-pressure applied to the` filter-cloths. lilith many kinds oic filtercakes, however, the use ot this method alone is not satisfactory, as it leaves portions of f., the cake sticking to the cloths. lliis is highly objectional: le, it causes the subsequent filtencakes to build up unevenly,`

creating uneven pressures, which frequently result in iii'acturing the lter-plates.

By means of theiltering apparatus which .l have invented, the ditliculties encountered in the prior processes are overcome. My

new apparatus provides means 'for opening the bottom or" the filter to permit the cake tc fall out, while at the same time opening the top of the filter to enable the operator to. see whether any portions oil? the cake are stickingv to the plates, in combination with sluieing means which enable the operator to remove the portions of the cake which he finds sticking to the cloth with the smallest possible waste of water.

Specication of Letters Elatent.

Patented J i1157V 6, 1920. serial no. 106,563. i

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for quickly opening and closing the filter and for locking the parts in the closed position. In the mechanism which Ihave provided for this purpose, the various operations necessary in opening, moving out of the way, returning, and locking closures, for apertures in the filterchamber are eifected in proper order by the manipulation of a single operating means. The turning of a hand-wheel effects successively the loosening of closures at opposite ends of the filter-tank, the movement of said closures directly away from the tank, and the swinging ot said closures out of line with the apertures which they normally close. A rotation of the hand-wheel in the reverse direction swings the closures into line with theopenings, draws them in toward and against the peripheries of the openings, and locks them into water-tight Contact therewith.

Aiurther object of the invention is to provide means whereby the number and spacing of the filter-plates in the filtering chamber may be varied. By this means, l make my lilter adaptable to use in connection with many dileient substances. lt the soli-d matter in the mixture to be iltered is of a colloidal nature, so that it is not practicable to build up thick cakes upon the filter-plates without the use of excessive pressure, the filter-plates of my filter may be placed close together, so that the entire volume of the filter-tank may be used in the building up oi' thin filter-cakes. It, on the other hand, the iilter is used in connection with mixtures forming cakes of a more permeable nature, the iilter-plates may be spaced farther apart to allow the formation or' thick iltei'cakes, as is necessary lor the most efticient filtration ot such mixtures.

Other purposes and advantages oi my invention are set 'lorth in the detailed description of kthe speciiic form of my invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichigure l is an eiid elevation of the filter of my invention in the closed position, parts thereof being broken away the better to disclose the construction;

F ig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the lilter of my invention in the open or discharging position;

Fig. 3 is a top View ot the iilter in closed sections of the filter-plate mountings show- :ing different filter-plate spacing; s

. Fig.. 9 is a verticalsection of'a portion ofthe filter chamber showing a modified form. of' the means connecting the filtrate discharge of the filter-plates;

. Fig. l0 is a top or planview of a filte having a circular filter-chamber.

The filter of myv invention Vcomprises a suitable frame 2 supporting .the filtering chamber 3,' which is preferably made of metal, suitably ribbed to impart the neces sary strength when filtering is accomplishedv vby producing pressure within the chamber.

Arranged in the chamber 8 are aplurality ofvertically disposed'filter plates or leaves 4 intowh1ch the filtrate passes and upon which the unfilterable material deposits in, `the form of cakes. The plates 4 are spaced apart slightlyrfrom the walls of the chamber to permit the material to be filtered to pass to all parts of the chamber and into contact with all of the plates.

vertically grooved cast-iron plates '5, ered on opposite sides with a suitable filter# ing medium 6, such as canvas see VF 1g. 5).

.The filtrate passes through the filtering inediiim .into the grooves in theplates andV flows along the grooves to the channel 7,v whence it flows Vthrough the filtrate outlets 8. ofthe filter-plates to the pipes 27, which f `enter the side wall of the filtering chamber near one of its upper corners (Fig. 5, Fig. 2); At the other upper corner of the filtering chamber is Ythe rotatable'sluicingpipe 68, entering the end walls of the chamber Viandfhaving nozzles 67 between the filterplztes 1,2).

he 1 filtering that it maybe torn to* permit entirely opened at the botthe cakes from ythe filterplates completed by the sluicing means whenever necessary. rlfhewalls of the i ltering chamber are substantially vertical, and during the filtering operation the chamber is tiffhtly closed by the top and bottom closure-plates 34, 35, which are suitably reinforced to produce the necessary, strength. lThe joints between- -the closures and the walls of the filtering lThe filter plates may be of any desirable construction and in the present embodiment consist of cov-Y chamber is so constructedV the free discharge of the .saires and at the top so that the discharge Vmay be observed and the dislodgment of ri/rasoi chamber are sealed by gaslrets 36 seated in grooves in the filter chamber. IThe material to be filtered is,preferably"introduced into theV closedy chamber under pressure through the pipe 37 (Fig. 2) and filtration may be accomplished by this pressure.

after the cake has been discharged areshown in Figs. 144. Arranged Vat each end of the filter is a bar 4l, which, when the filter is closed, is vertically disposed.v Each of the closure plates 34, is provided at itsA ends with elongated guides 38 through which the bars extend, the closures being arranged to slide on the bars and the bars serving to hold the closures alined. kThe bars are rotatably'mounted at Ytheir centers, so that they may swing to allow the closures to be swung out of alinement with the open ings in the filter chamber; Arranged at each end of the filter is a frame 42, pivoted at one end on the horizontal shaft 43, which is journaled inthe filter frame, theopposite ends of the frames 42 being capable of' vertical movement, which movement is limited in the downward direction by a set-screw 44, which is attached to an abutment 45, onV

each-end of the filter' frame (Figs. 'li-3).

lThis construction allows the frame to rockv slightly about their-pivot for reasons which will be set forth hereinafter.

Journaled in each frame 42 at the center is a shaftelo, upon which is mounted a gear 47, which is provided with a flanged hub 48.`

The bard-l. is journaled on the hub 48, and

the frictionfbetween the Vhub and the barV tends to cause the bar to move with the hub. VRotation of the gear causes the bar toswin'g 'to' move the closures 34 and 35out Voffor Vof the hub, at diametrically opposite points,

are shafts 52, V53, to whichare attached linlrs 54, 55, which are attached at Vtheir other ends to the closures and 34,'respectively. The linlrs are bent so that they passaround the hub and when the filter chamber is closed,`asshowi`i in Fig-l, the shaft 53, to which the linlrs Vof, the upper closure 34 are attached, Vlies below the shaft 46, and shaft 52, to which the links 54 of the lower closure 35, are attached lies below the shaft 46. Rotation of the gear wheel 47,'F ig. l, in a counter-clockwise direction will cause shaft 52'to move downward Vand shaft to move upward, lowering and raising, respectively, the closures and 34. rlhe gears 47 are, rotated by the lia.nrliwlieel 56, secured to the shaft'43, to whichV 'shaft are secured pinions 57, meshing with the iaasei gears. The links 54; and 55 are bent to allow the shafts 52 and 53 to pass vertical alinement or dead center as the filter chamber is being closed, thereby positively locking the closures to the chamber. After passing dead center, the links contact with the hub 48, whichV prevents their further rotation.

By virtue of the fact that the hub 48 to which the links are attached is mounted in a vertically movable frame, the hub may move vertically to equalize the pressure on the top and bottom closures and to compensate for any small diierences in link length. By employing an equalizing means, both closures are tightly and evenly pressed to their seats and an unequal link length will not prevent the proper seating ot the closures.

The links 54, 55 are attached at their outer ends to eye-bolts 58 by means of pins 59. The outer ends or threaded portions of the eye-bolts 58 are disposed in the closures 34 and Arranged on the outer and inner tace of the closures and attached to the threaded portion of eye-bolts 58 are nuts 61 and 62, respectively. By the adjustment oi: these nuts on the eye-bolts 58, the effective length of the link is varied.

Means are provided for restraining the movement of the closures during the opening of the ilter to a vertical movement until the closures have moved a sufiicient distance 'from the filter chamber to permit them to clear the chamber walls as they are swung to the sides thereof. Formed on each end olf the i'rame 2, below the filter chamber and to one side of the center line thereof is an abutment (35 (Fig. 2), which, when the filter is closed, is engaged` by the side ot the guide 38, which for this purpose projects beyond the operative face of the closure. The abutment lies on that side of the guide toward which the closure moves as vit is swung from alinement with the chamber. "Vhen the closure has been moved vertically away from the chamber a suiiicient distance to allow it to clear the chamber as it swings, the guide 38 has been moved out ot contact with the abutment 65 and the -irictional pull on the bar 41, due to the rotation of the gear 17, causes the bar to swing on its axis and carry the closures laterally, clear oi? the openings in the chamber. An abutment 66 (Figs. 2, 3) on the frame i2 stops the swinging movement of the closures by contacting with the bar 41.

rlhe filter chamber is then completely open at the top and bottom, sothat the cake may freely drop from the chamber and its discharge from the iilter-plates may be observed. The cakes may be loosened from the l'ilter-platesby a reverse 'flow of air or liquid or air and liquid through the pipe 27. The dislodgment of any patches of the cakes which are seen to remain adhering to the iilter cloths may then be effected by streams of water discharged through ythe nozzles 67 of the rotatable pipe 68. rllhe nozzles direct the streams oi2 water forcibly alongside the surface ot the filter-plates, and the water causes the cake to loosen from the plate and fall. The pipe 68 is rotatable, so that the streams may be directed to any part of the filter-plates. In order to assist the discharge oi' the cake, the lilterplates are tapered toward the bottom, thereby providing a space of increasing width through which the cakes `fall from the filter plates and the lower part of the cake does not block the passage between the plates. The inclination of the surface of the plates also assists in dislodging the cake from the plates. v

fitter the cakes have been discharged, the gear i? is rotated in the opposite direction and the closures are moved back into alinement with the filter chamber, being halted in the alined position by abutments 69 (Figs. 2, lli, on the i 'ame with which lthe guides 38 contact. The abutment 69r Vis placed lower than the abutment and the guide 38 passes abutment 65 and strikes abutment 69. The irictional contact between the gears 17 and the bars a1V causes the bars to swing with the gears until the movement oi 'he gears draws the closures in against the chamber and locks them in position. The irictional contact prevents the closures from being drawn together by the rotati-:m of the gear until after they have passed the sides of the chamber and are in position to be seated.

ln the drawing l have shown a rectangular filter chamber, but the invention is ap plicable to filter chambers oi? any shape, such as the circular lilter chamber shown in Fig. 10. ln this Vconstruction the closure plates are made to conform to the shape oi the chamber.

The means by which l provide tor varyr ing the position of the ilteiuplates are shown in Figs. 5, 9. rllhe filtering chamber provided on opposite sides with internal shoulders 12, 13 upon which the liltering plates are supported, and the lilter--plates are provided with ears 14, 15 which rest on said shoulders 2, rllhe discharge channel 8 extends through the ear and opens on the under side thereof. The wall of the chamber is provided with a plurality ot filtrate discharge channels 16 which open upward on the shoulder 13. rlapped into each passage 16 is a pipe 27 through which the filtrate discharges and through which a counter-pressure is introduced by means ot' air or water for dislodging` the cakes from the filter-plate at the end ot the liltering operation. Each pipe 27 is provided with a valve 28, so that the pipe may be closed the chamber may be varied and theconnection between the filtrate outlet. channels and tlie-'tilterplates `may be maintained, i have l provided a plurality of seat blocks 17, which y areinterposed between the shoulder 18 and the ears l5. vEach seat block is provided with a passage 18,which registers at its upper end with the passage 18 in the filterplate, and which.` is broadened at its lower end, so that it spans adistance on the shoulv der 13 greater than the diameter ot the channel 16. rlhe seat blocks may, therefore, be shifted on the shoulder to vary the spacing of rvthe filter-plates Vwhile maintaining communication between the filter-plate andV the discharge channel "16. ln Figs.` 'i'. and V8, Y l have shown two different spacings oii the liltei'-plates, which are accomplished byditV ferent arrangements of .the seatV bloclrs. lV hen the ilterplates are spaced apart', as

Y shown in Fig. 7, some of the channelsl are not connected to plates. Y Arranged between theslioulder 13 vand the seat block 17 is a packing ring 19, and between the seat block and the ear l5 isa second packing ring 2l. The seat blocks are held firmly in place by clamps which engage the wall oit the chamber'. ln the present instance, the wall is provided above the seat bloclr with an undercut shoulder 22, and below the seat block with another undercut shoulder 23. Engaging under the shoul` der 22 and bearing against the convex upper surface of the seat block is a Vclamp 24, through the end ol which passes the bolt 25.

which engages under the'shoulder 23. By

tightening the nut-2G- on the bolt, the seat block is pressed and held nrmly in position and by virtue of the convexv bearing surface oit the bloclr, the pressure :is exerted sul stantially down vardly. The packing ring 21 is seated in a depression in the seat block and the ear l5 extends into the depression, the weight of' the filter-plate being great enough totorm a tight joint between the ear and the seat block. The Alilter-plates are, therefore, unattached and by suitable mechanism may be readily lit'ted from the iilterv ing chamber when desired.

K l Qrdinarily, however, the filter-plates are not removed eceptfor the purpose ot repair or to change the spacing ot the plates. ln filtering some materials, it is possible to build a thiclrer cake than with others, and the spacing ot the iilter-plates is Varranged accordingly.

A modiiied form of filtrate discharge is shown in Fig. 9, in which the filter-plate 4l is suspended on the ears 29.V The channel 7 in the iilter-plates. ,In order that the spacing of the `lter-plates in in the lter-plate isconnected by a flexible connection 3l with a channelQ extending through the chamber wall and into which the discharge pipe 271is screwed... 1

l/Vhen the spacing of theilter-platesis changed, thespacing ot the nozzles 67on the sluicing-pipe G8 is correspondingly changed. This may be done by substituting a. new sluicing-pipe having itsv nozzles spacedto vcorrespond with the new position ot the lter-plates, orthe pipe 68`inay be provided with several series of differently spaced holes in which the nozzles 67 may be fastened. In this case, the series of holes which are not occupied by the nozzles at any time are kept plugged. Y l'Myinvention isby no means confined to the particular Y'form ofappaiatus Vwhich l have illustrated and described.V rlhis apparatus is inerelyone concrete embodiment ot'my invention and maybe changed in' torni' and detail without departing trom the spirit of my invention. Y L

I claim :-Y

1. ln a nfiltering apparatus comprising a' chamber open at its top and at its bottomandy iiltering elements in said chamber, the combination of closures for the top and bottom of the ohamber, lmeans'lor seating the closures on the chamber, and means `tor equalizing the pressure ot the closures on the chamber. f Y r Q. A filtering apparatus, comprising a chamber, filtering elements arranged' inthe chamber, removable closures for the top and bottom of said chamber, means for re` moving the closures from the chamber, and means tor holding Vthe closures parallel to' each other, said removing means cooperating Vwith said holding means toshift the closures to the side of the chamber.

3. A filtering apparatus, comprising a chamber having a removable bottom, taper-` ing vertical filter-plates in said chamber having their greatest thickness at their upper edges and their least thickness Vat their lower edges. 1 Y' 4. A 'iltering apparatus comprising a chamber, a shouldertormed along the'V side ot' said chamber, said shoulder being provided with a pluralityv ot discharge passages, a plurality ot lter-plates arranged in said chamber provided' with hollow ears engaging said shoulder and registering with the-,passages therein. Y 1 Y 5. A` filtering apparatus, comprising a chamber, a shoulder formed alongjthe side of the chamber adjacent its upper edge, said shoulder being provided with a plurality of discharge passages, Va plurality of filterplates arranged in the chamber provided with hollow ears engaging the shoulder and registering with the passages therein.

6. Aiiltering apparatus, comprising aV iio of the Chamber adjacent its upper edge, said shoulder being provided with a plruality ot discharge passages, seat blocks seated on said shoulder and communicating with said passages, and filter-plates supported on said seat blocks and in communication therewith.

7. A filtering apparatus, comprising a Chamber, a shoulder formed along the side of the chamber adjacent its upper edge, said shoulder being provided with a plurality of discharge passages, a plurality of ilterplates supported on said shoulder and in communication with said passages, and adjustable connections between the lter-plates and the passages.

8. A liltering apparatus, comprising a chamber, a shoulder formed along the side oi the chamber adjacent its upper edge, said shoulder being provided With a plurality of discharge passages, a plurality of adjustable connections seated on said shoulder and communicating with said passages, means for clamping the adjustable connections in position, and filter-plates seated on and in communication with said connections. 25

MICHAEL H. KURYLA. 

